Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-point probe and an electronic contact sheet for configuring the same, a multi-point probe array, and a multi-point probe manufacturing method.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-107229, filed May 21, 2013, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Description of Related Art
A technology of detecting biological signals generated from a biological surface and inside of a living body is paid attention to as a next-generation medical technology for realizing a healthy and affluent society, because not only is the current health condition grasped, but also a disease which may occur in the future can be detected in advance.
It is extremely important to detect the biological signal with high spatial resolution, in order to specifically investigate diseases.
For example, the detection of an electrical signal of biological tissues such as the brain or the spinal cord is performed by inserting a probe having a distal end portion where a plurality of electronic contacts for voltage detection are formed to the brain (for example, PTLs 1 and 2)
A probe disclosed in PTL 1 has a configuration in which an electronic contact and a wiring connected thereto are provided on a sheet-shaped or a plate-shaped insulating base material (hereinafter, suitably referred to as a “flat insulating base material”).
In addition, a probe disclosed in PTL 2 has a configuration in which a probe electronic contact installed to stand and a wiring connected thereto are provided on a plate-shaped insulating base material, in the same manner as described above.
Meanwhile, the inventors have proposed a device which electrically, chemically, and mechanically detects biological signals by spirally winding an electronic contact which detects an electrical signal or a sheet-shaped insulating base material on which an electronic contact such as a sensor is formed, around a side surface of a tubular structure such as a catheter or an endoscope (NPL 1). In this method, a plurality of electronic contacts can be installed on a surface of a tubular structure.
In a device to be applied to a living body, a configuration of not only detecting a biological signal, but also detecting biological information with an electronic contact for applying stimulation to a living body or a combination of input and output electronic contacts for applying stimulation to a living body and detecting a response thereof is known.